Truth & Rumors: Fans get paid for an ace; CEO says, 'I'm playing'

Thursday, July 29, 2010

How would you like to get paid to be a golf spectator?Don't laugh. It could happen thanks to an innovative -- some might saycrazy or desperate -- idea for this week's inaugural Greenbrier Classic.The tournament is being played at the famed Greenbrier Resort, whichis in a remote location 90 minutes from Roanoke, Va., and twohours from Charleston, W.Va.Here's the deal: The 18th hole is a par 3 and if any playerduring the tournament makes an ace there, Greenbrier owner Jim Justicewill pay $1 million to the pro and his favorite charities ($250,000 tothe player, $750,000 to charity) and give everyone sitting in thestands at the 18th $100. A second ace the same day will generateanother $1 million bonus and fans will get $500. A third ace will pay$1,000 to the fans.

"I hope we have a lot of fun with it," Justice told the media.Golfweek.com explained how the bonus will work:

Fans seated in the 18th hole grandstand will receive a card. Ifthey leave, even to go to the bathroom, they have to relinquish theircard."What I'm worried about is giving everybody in the stands athousand bucks," Justice said. "You give everybody in the stands athousand bucks three times for four days, that's $6.8 million to gointo the stands. You know, you would have to have an armed guard outthere."

Justice agreed to pay for as many as three aces per day. The 162-yardclosing hole with its horseshoe contoured green is where Sam Sneadrecorded his 35th and final hole-in-one in 1995.

You know Ray. He's the exalted CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises and ... also the guy who embraces the notion of "I can ... and I shall."That he's likely to shoot in the 80s and miss the cut is not the point. Troy Merritt missed seven cuts in a row earlier this season and he's in the TSR field. And nobody's beefing about that. No, at issue is Ray's chutzpah, which would fill a fair-sized wheelbarrow. Fact is, because Halbritter, a self-proclaimed 2-handicapper (cough, cough) will be among those 144 in pursuit of a slice of the $4 million purse, some put-upon card-carrying pro won't be. Let's do the arithmetic here. The Bridgestone Invitational should attract the top 80 players in the world to Akron. The next 140-ish best players will descend upon Verona. So if my ciphering is correct, Halbritter's gift to himself would come at the expense of that poor soul ranked around No. 221 in the world. With all the real problems in golf -- like, for instance, John Daly's pants -- how is it that people have to worry about this, um, outrage?

Back in the LimelightErin Hills is back in the news again. First, this little-known and still relatively new course in Wisconsin was awarded the 2017 U.S. Open, which was announced during Open week at Pebble Beach.And after another round of renovations and improvements, the course will reopen Saturday, reports Gary D'Amato in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. D'Amato has frequently chronicled the course's short but troubled history and the good news is that finally, apparently, the owners got it right and the course is good to go:

Erin Hills is barely four years old and already has been closed twice for renovations. It's had more plucking and tucking than an aging Hollywood starlet yet has emerged looking more stunning than ever. Along with Whistling Straits, which hosts the 92nd PGA Championship in two weeks, the "new" Erin Hills gives Wisconsin a one-two punch of championship golf unmatched in the Midwest.To walk Erin Hills today is to understand why the USGA is so enamored of the inland links... Some 300 trees have been removed; it's the perfect example of less is more. Wide, emerald fairways framed by huge, jagged-edged bunkers create jaw-dropping views from almost every tee. The greens are, in a word, perfect. The best in Wisconsin? With apologies to Milwaukee Country Club, perhaps.Erin Hills still is a bit rough around the edges. The recent rains washed away some seed and exposed a couple of drainage problems. The practice area, still under construction, will be among the nation's finest, highlighted by an enormous 360-degree range... and a short-game area.Construction is just starting on a second clubhouse and three cottagesand owner Andy Ziegler is at least contemplating a second 18-holecourse. He's a hands-on owner for whom money is no object andexcellence is the lowest acceptable standard. In my opinion, it won't be long before Erin Hills is a top-20 course in the United States. It's that good.

One interesting thing about Erin Hills is that it will be a walking-only course. No carts. Caddies will be available.